Cops ID retired police officer's remains

Detectives have identified human remains recently found in rural Osceola County and said they belong to a retired police officer who was killed, authorities said Thursday.

Paul C. Cadigan, 62, was last seen at his home on Crowberry Road Northeast in Palm Bay on Feb. 1. His girlfriend reported him missing to Palm Bay police the next day, law-enforcement officials said Thursday.

Cadigan's remains were found Sunday in a wooded area off Cypress Creek Ranch Road.

The Sheriff's Office did not release the cause of death but said it continues to investigate Cadigan's case as a homicide. Investigators do not think the homicide occurred where Cadigan's remains were found, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Now, detectives are asking the public to help locate Cadigan's car -- a white, 2003 Toyota Avalon.

The car has a rear spoiler and a Florida Coast Guard tag 006VC.

Cadigan moved to Florida several years ago after serving 20 years with the Hingham Police Department in Massachusetts.

He retired from the police department in 1991 as a lieutenant.

In the early 1980s, Cadigan received a national law-enforcement award for bravery, and also received a citation from the governor for bravery after his involvement in a case in which three teens were taken hostage, said Lt. Michael Peraino with the Hingham Police Department.

According to Peraino, an armed robber carjacked a vehicle with three teens inside and took them hostage. Cadigan, a patrol officer, spotted the vehicle and pursued it through three towns.

The robber was firing shots at Cadigan's patrol car, but the officer couldn't return fire because the teenswere inside the vehicle. The vehicle eventually crashed and the robber took off on foot.

Cadigan chased the suspect, who continued to fire at him. The officer returned fire and wounded the suspect, who was arrested and eventually convicted.

"It was a huge story here," Peraino said.

Peraino said he hasn't seen Cadigan since he moved to Florida.

Anyone with information about Cadigan's car or death is asked to call the Osceola County Sheriff's Office at 407-348-2222 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.